color me excited.

Dear Reader,
Redesigned? Why yes I did. I needed some virtual feng shui in my life. Knee update- Bursitis. Half marathon is out. I started physical therapy last week, but my PT said it will be another few weeks minimum before I will be able to run. In the mean time, I've dedicated my life to collecting money for less fortunate Jewish children living in Ukraine. Alright, let's get real, I've watched a bit too much Netflix and eaten a few too many cookies. But it's the thought that counts right?

Reader, I'm a woman of color. Not in a ethnic or racial way, because I'm seriously as white as they come. No, I'm a believer in color. And I live my life as such. Every morning I wake up to see what color God decided to paint the sky today. This morning in Logan his palette consists of Timberwolf, Charcoal, Manatee Gray, and a slight hint of Periwinkle. Um, It's April. Let's see some Cerulean and Cornflower dang it!

Now beyond appreciating the colors around me, I've gotten in the mindset that people are colors. You may feel like you were just thrust into the "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" music video. But bear with me. I don't believe that sounds have flavors, or smells have super powers. I simply have a way of comparing the personalities of people to my 120 pack of Crayola crayons. I myself am Robin's Egg Blue. Somewhat of a colder color that loves to be bright and reach out. It's almost contradictory, but then again, so am I.

People I don't like are automatically Jungle Green. Worst crayon ever. You think it's going to be this outstanding green when in reality it's a wimpy blue. I would have thrown it out years ago, but I keep it to remind me that even though I hate it, it's still a person. Uh, I mean a crayon. Getting the analogy? Oh stop, I'm not a genius. Just a little girl with crayons and a dream.

Here's a few more comparisons I've made-
Scarlet: Your go-to comfort friend. Trusty and inviting.
Beaver: Dull as oatmeal. Can't wait to leave their presence.
Caribbean Green: Confusing, and sometimes overly hyper.
Golden Rod: Difficult person to read.
Tickle Me Pink: Shy and innocent.
Magic Mint: Clean, organized, and business-like person.
Macaroni and Cheese: Hot, tall, blond boy on campus with dark rimmed glasses, a fab blue plaid shirt, and a glorious smile. Oddly specific.

Your challenge of today, Reader, is to figure out your color. Embrace it. And draw yourself a picture of something you truly enjoy with it! Cheerio!
-The Swampman

cabin fever.

Dear Reader,
While training for my half-marathon this week, I twisted my knee on a 3-mile recovery run. It's painful to walk on, but what's more painful is the fact that I can't be running. Running has been my release the past few months; the only thing keeping me going. After long days of dealing with difficult roommates, challenging school work, time-consuming art projects, being in charge of 20+ little kids, and the typical boy drama, running seems to clear away all of my anxieties. So as you can tell, I'm a little depressed to say the least. But my hopes are high that the problem will fix itself after a few weeks of resting, Ibuprofen, and ice packs. I don't mean to use my blog as an outlet for my venting, and I am certainly not looking for pity of any kind. I am simply trying to learn what I need to be taught from this trial. And by George, I think I've got it!

Have you ever noticed that the less you move around, and the more isolated you become, the more you think? Well, thanks to my injury and Spring break for the elementary school, I've confined myself to my bedroom these last few days. Let's just say I've managed to do my fair share of thinking. I believe that's something I've been seriously missing from my life. Time where I do nothing and just ponder. So thanks faulty knee cap :)

I started with a typical self-evaluation. From this I gathered that I'm pretty much the most fantastic person ever. Jk. In all seriousness though, I rock. I eat all my vegetables, and floss every day. I'm by no means perfect, but who can safely say they are? I like to think I've overcome quite a bit, but it seems small in comparison to what others have had to deal with. I've never lived in poverty, been physically, sexually, or verbally abused, lost a parent, fought cancer, had a miscarriage, dealt with mental illness, felt completely lonely, or truly had a broken heart. But I've handled the cards I've been dealt, and I've been blessed to learn so many great lessons along the way. I'm especially grateful for the people who have made fun of me, gossiped about me, lied to me, cheated on me, and purposely done things to make me feel bad. Because it's from them that I've learned that the opinions and actions of others don't have to affect me. No one can tell me who I am or how I should feel. I love myself, and God loves me. That has become my most treasured knowledge. And like I said, I rock. Don't let my complete sense of sarcasm fool you though. Despite my toughening up, deep down I'm still a peep. A soft, sugary, somewhat pink-tinted marshmallow.

Here are some other thoughts I've had throughout this week:
-I'm passive on the subject of Justin Bieber
-It would sincerely hurt to have an elephant step on your hand
-Danny Devito would make an awesome books-on-tape reader
-If money grew on trees, wouldn't it get all brown and crunchy in the fall?
-Amish people are legit
-Tums would make excellent Halloween hand-out candy
-CCR is the raddest band of all time
-Cement blocks are ridiculously hard to draw
-The feeling of almost-dry towels makes me cringe
-I really love being single
-Holey socks and granny panties are the worst
-"Sister Act" is sincerely an American classic
-The chicken came first
-The flat top hairstyle needs to make a furious comeback
-I really miss Taco Amigo
-What would hurt worse: getting struck by 10 lightning bolts, or eating a porcupine?
-Jan Hawke is my hero
-'Knuckle' is a funny word
-Whoever invented sports bras earned a straight ticket to heaven
-Is there anything worse than sour cream and onion pringles breath? Oh wait, holey socks and granny panties
...and the list could continue for days

It's truly satisfying to slow down my pace and really think. Whether they've been sane or not, my thoughts have kept me entertained. And I may have LOL'd a time or two. It's hasn't been easy to stay positive, but I feel like that's the most important thing I can do at this point. I leave you with this thought brought to you by my good friends, The Beatles.
“...tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the sun.”
Let's have that be our goal this week Reader.
Til next time,
The Swampman